Council asked to take steps on school crowding

August 10, 1994|By Jackie Powder | Jackie Powder,Sun Staff Writer

Hampstead residents urged the Town Council last night to take action to help prevent area school crowding from worsening.

"We have a situation where we're growing faster than ever before," resident John Springer told the council. "I think it's prudent to consider slowing down development until we have a feel for whether the [proposed] new schools are going to be built and when."

Mr. Springer's remarks were greeted with applause from the approximately 60 people at the meeting.

Despite the residents' comments relating to school crowding, Councilman Wayne Thomas' proposal to halt development in the town failed to reach a council vote because it wasn't seconded.

He said one area school is 150 students over capacity and two others are near capacity.

Mr. Thomas proposed that the Hampstead Planning and Zoning Commission deny approval to future developments to help alleviate school overcrowding.

"I think we're at a point where we've got to say enough is enough," Mr. Thomas said. "We've been going along without controlling things."

The council voted to join in signing a letter to the county commissioners from the Hampstead Planning and Zoning Commission.

The letter asks the commissioners to "fast-track the new elementary school in Manchester and the planned middle school in Hampstead."

In other business, the council voted to try to collect $600 owed to the town for five years by Jesse Gouge, the husband of Commissioner Julia Gouge.

Town Manager John Riley said audits showed Mr. Gouge hadn't paid a water area service installation charge on an apartment.

Mr. Riley said he has received no response from letters sent to Mr. Gouge.